Colorado State University-Pueblo’s 2014 football schedule just got a whole lot tougher.

The ThunderWolves will travel to Huntsville, Texas, on Sept. 13 and play Sam Houston State University.

The Bearkats are a part of the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision and have been national runners-up twice in the last three seasons.

CSU-Pueblo is guaranteed $120,000, Folda said, to make the trip to Texas. Pack head coach John Wristen said his team embraces the chance to raise its level of competition.

“What a great opportunity for our guys and our program,” Wristen said. “I have a longtime relationship with (SHSU head coach) K.C. Keeler and this will be a big-time football atmosphere for our guys.”

The SHSU game is Week 2 for the Pack, but it will be the Bearkats’ fourth game of the season. After playing the first Division I game of 2014 (on Aug. 23 at Eastern Washington), SHSU plays Alabama State, then at LSU.

Since 2010, CSU-Pueblo has won 37 regular-season football games. That is the longest streak in Division II.

The Pack opens on Sept. 4, a Thursday, when it plays host to rival West Texas A&M.

POD SQUAD: After scoring 49 runs and sweeping four consecutive games on the road, the Pack softball team returns to Rawlings this weekend for Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference pod play.

The ThunderWolves will play New Mexico Highlands and Fort Lewis this weekend, rather than the same opponent in all four games.

“I guess I’m indifferent about pod play,” Pack head coach Christie Zinanti said. “I like not having to face the same team four times in a row, but right now we are more focused on us than who we play.”

While it appears that the Pack’s offense got healthy against the Orediggers, Zinanti said there was a bit of luck involved, too.

“Our kids have been hitting the ball hard all season. We’ve just been hitting it right at them,” she said. “We continued to hit the ball hard but we created some of our own breaks and luck against Mines.”

HAMMER TIME: CSU-Pueblo’s track and field team plays host to its own invitational this week at the Neta & Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl.

Action begins Friday with the hammer throw and the javelin. Pack women’s coach Matt Morris said the ThunderWolves won’t compete in the javelin but will have Victoria Miranda and Haley Gansz in the hammer.

“Victoria was ninth in the indoor conference meet and Haley is throwing well,” Morris said. “The hammer (outdoors) is different than the weight (indoor) and we’re probably a little better with the hammer.”

The remainder of the meet is Saturday, and Morris isn’t sure how many schools or athletes will compete.

“There used to be no meets on this weekend, and ours got canceled last year,” he said. “The weather should be decent and I know our kids are looking forward to getting the outdoor season started.”